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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



BALDiVIN'S BIOGRAPHICAL BOOKLETS 



THE STORY 



OF 



ADMIRAL FARRAGUT 



FOR YOUNG READERS 

v' ■ 
By Mabel Borton Beebe 




WERNER SCHOOL BOOK COMPANY 

NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON 



^ 



, P"^ 



Copies 



KEc 



Balifin's Biograptiical BooM Series. 

Biographical Stories of Great Americans 
for Young Americans 

EDITED BY 

James Baldwin, Ph.D. 

IN these biographical stories the lives of great Americans are 
presented in such a manner as to hold the attention of the 
youngest reader. In lives like these the child finds ihe most 
inspiring examples of good citizenship and true patriotism. 

^^4580 NOW RgADY 

Four Great Americans 




The Story of George Washington 
The Story of Benjamin Frnnklin 
The Story of Daniel Webster .... 

The Story of Abraham Lincoln .... 
By James Baldwin 

Four American Patriots 

The Story of Patrick Henry 

The Story of Alexander Hamilton 

The Story of Andrew Jackson .... 

The Story of Ulysses S. Grant 

By Mrs. Alma Holman Burton 
The Story of Henry Clay ..... 
By Frances Cravens 

Four American Naval Heroes 

The Story of Paul Jones 

TheStory of Oliver H. Perry .... 
The Story of Admiral Farragut .... 
The btory of Admiral Dewey .... 
By Mrs. Mabel Borton Beebe 

Four American Poets 

The Story of William Cullen Bryant 

The Story of Henry W. Longfellow 

The Story of John Greenleaf Whittier 

The Story of Edgar Allan Poe .... 

Q^T^-^ By Sherwin Cody 

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right, 1899, by Werner School Book Company 



2ri)f ILakfsitif ^3rcss 

DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY 
CHICAGO 



V«o 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Childhood .....•• 5 

II. The Little Midshipman .... lo 

III. The Loss of the Essex . . . .16 

IV. The Trip on the Mediterranean . . 19 
V. War with the Pirates . . . .22 

VI. From Lieutenant to Captain . . 27 

VII. The Question of Allegiance . . -34 

VIII. The Capture of New Orleans . . 40 

IX. The Battle of Mobile Bay . . -49 

X. Well-Earned Laurels .... 58 




^^^^^/^ 




THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



I. — Childhood. 

On July 5, 1 80 1, m a rude cabin in Eastern 
Tennessee, David Glasgow Farragut was born. 

It was a wild and lonely place. For miles 
around the little farm, nothing could be seen but 
woods. Few sounds could be heard save the sing- 
ing of birds and sometimes the cries of wild 
beasts. 

There was already one child in the family, a 
boy, whose name was William. 

George Farragut, the father, was a brave man. 
He was a Spaniard, and had come to America 
during the Revolutionary War. 

He was a lover of liberty, and for that reason he 
had taken up arms with the colonists to help them 
win their independence from England. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



After the close of the war, he had married a 
hardy frontier girl, and had come to this wild place 
to make his home. 

His life on the little clearing in the backwoods 
was one of toil and frequent hardships. Every day 
he was busy chopping down trees, planting crops, or 
hunting in the great forest. 

The young wife, Elizabeth, was also busy, keep- 
ing her house and spinning and making the clothes 
for herself, her husband, and her children. 

Little David Farragut grew strong very fast. 

He and Wilham had no playmates, but they 
liked to run about under the trees. They could 
not go far from the cabin, however, as there were 
both wild beasts and Indians in the woods. 

Sometimes the father would be away for several 
days, hunting wild game for the family to eat. At 
such times, the mother and children would be left 
alone. 

One day a band of Indians came and tried to 
enter the cabin. The mother sent the boys into 
the loft, where they crouched down close to the 
roof and kept very still. Then, for hours, she 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



guarded the door with an axe, until, at last, 
something frightened the Indians and they went 
away. 

When little David was about seven years old, 
his father was appointed by the government to 
command a gunboat on the Mississippi. As his 
headquarters were to be at New Orleans, the 
family moved to a plantation on the banks of Lake 
Pontchartrain. This lake is near the city. 

When not on duty on the gunboat, George Far- 
ragut was very fond of sailing on the lake. He 
had a little sailboat in which he would take the 
children, even in severe storms. 

Sometimes the weather would be so bad that they 
couldn't come home; and then they would sleep all 
night on the shore of some island. The father 
would wrap the children in a sail, or cover them 
with dry sand to keep them warm. 

One day a neighbor told him that it was danger- 
ous to take the children on such trips. George Far- 
ragut replied, ''Now is the time to conquer their 
fears. " 

When fishing in the lake one morning, George 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



Farragut saw a boat in which there was an old man 
all alone. " Pulling alongside, he found that the 
stranger had become unconscious from the heat of 
the sun. 

He was taken to the Farragut home, and, al- 
though he was nursed for some time with the great- 
est of care and everything was done for him that 
could be done, yet he grew no better. 

Finally Mrs. Farragut also was taken very ill, 
and in a few days both she and the stranger she 
had nursed so tenderly, died. This was a sad day 
for the family of George Farragut. 

Not long after the funeral, a stranger called 
at the Farragut house. He said that his name 
was David Porter and that he was the son of the 
old gentleman who had died there. He thanked 
George Farragut for his kindness to his father, and 
offered to adopt one of the Farragut boys. 

There were now five children in the family, and 
David's father was very glad to accept this offer. 
The oldest son, William, already had a commis- 
sion as midshipman in the navy, and so it was 
decided that David should be the one to go. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



Captain Porter was at that time the commander ; 

of the naval station at New Orleans. His hand- ; 

some uniform, with its belt and shining buttons, \ 

seemed very attractive to little David, and he was j 

eager to go with his new guardian. j 

David spent a few months with the Porter family | 

in New Orleans. Then Captain Porter took him I 

to Washington and placed him in school there. | 

One day David was introduced to a great man, ; 

the Secretary of the Navy. He asked the boy i 

many questions, and was so pleased with his intel- ; 

ligent answers that he said to him, "My boy, when '■ 

you are ten years old I shall make you a midship- ; 

man in the navy." ' 

This was a proud moment for little David Farra- j 

gut. The great man did not forget his promise. | 
The appointment came six months before the time 
that was named. It was arranged that the lad 

should go with Captain Porter in the frigate i 

Essex. I 

It was several months, however, before the vessel \ 

was ready to sail. In the meantime, David at- ' 

tended a school in Chester, Pennsylvania. '>■ 



J Q THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FARRAGUT. 



II. — The Little Midshipman. 

For a long time England had been at war with 
France. British men-of-war and privateers were 
in the habit of attacking any vessel going to or 
from the ports of France. More than this, the 
British government claimed the right to search 
American vessels to see whether any English 
sailors were on board. 

Nor was this the worst. Numbers of American 
seamen were falsely accused of being English 
deserters, and every year many were taken from 
their own vessels and forced to serve on British 
ships. 

The Americans tried to induce the British gov- 
ernment to cease this unjust treatment. They 
tried to settle the matter peaceably, but the British 
were haughty and overbearing and would not agree 
to give up any of their claims. 

On June i8, 1812, things had gone so far that our 
country was obliged to declare war against Great 
Britain. A squadron was fitted out and ordered 
to cruise along the Atlantic coast, in order to pro- 
tect American vessels from the British, 



THE S TOR Y OF A DMtRA L FA ERA GUT. 



I I 



Captain Porter's vessel, the Essex, was to be one 
of this fleet. It was not ready, however, to sail 
with the others; but orders were given that it 
should follow as soon as possible and join the 
squadron in the Atlantic. 

If Captain Porter could 
not find the squadron, he 
was to do whatever he 
thought best. 

On October 28, 181 2, the 
Essex sailed down the Dela- 
ware River, and through 
the bay into the ocean. 
There was a pennant flying 
from the mast-head on 

which were the words, " Free Trade and Sailors' 
Rights." It was for these things that Captain 
Porter was ready to fight. By his side stood 
the little midshipman, David Farragut, in his 
shining uniform. There was no prouder boy in all 
America than he was on that day. 

For several months. Captain Porter cruised 
about the Atlantic. He captured several English 




CAPTAIN DAVID PORTER. 



J ^ THE STORY OF A DMIRA L FARRAGUT. 



vessels, and then, as he could not find the Ameri- 
can squadron, he decided to make a trip around 
Cape Horn, and cruise in the Pacific. 

The passage around Cape Horn is one of the 
most dangerous in the world, but Captain Porter 
was not afraid. The Essex was one of the best 
ships in the navy, and the crew had been drilled 
very thoroughly. 

Sometimes Captain Porter sounded a false alarm 
of fire on shipboard. This was to test the courage 
of the men and prepare them for accidents. Some- 
times he even caused a smoke to be made. The 
sailors soon became so accustomed to a cry of 
'' Fire " that it caused no confusion. 

The courage of the crew was severely tried in 
going around Cape Horn. The weather was bit- 
terly cold, and for twenty-one days the ship was 
buffeted by furious storms. 

By this time the provisions were almost gone. 
Each man had but a small daily allowance of 
bread and water. Little David Farragut was 
having his first real experience as a sailor. 

From Cape Horn, Captain Porter sailed north 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



along the west coast of South America, and 
stopped at an island near the coast of Chili. The 
sailors went on shore with their guns and killed 
some wild hogs and horses. They were in such 
need of fresh meat that they ate even the flesh of 
the horses with great relish. 

For months the Essex cruised about in the 
beautiful Pacific, XZaptain Porter captured several 
English vessels, and warned American whaling- 
ships of danger. Some of these had been at sea 
for many months and had not heard of the 
war. 

Sometimes the Essex would stop at an island, 
and the crew would go on shore to kill seals; 
sometimes they would anchor in shallow bays and 
fish for cod. 

On one solitary island there was a strange post- 
office, a box nailed to a tree. Here passing ves- 
sels would leave messages and letters, to be taken 
up by other vessels that chanced to be going in 
the right direction. 

The Essex stopped at this island for some time. 
The crew found prickly pears to eat. They killed 



J . THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FARRAGUT. 



pigeons, which the cook made into pies, and they 
made soup of the turtles they caught. Those 
were great days for David Farragut. 

The Essex finally left this island in May, 1813. 
Soon more English vessels were sighted and 
captured. One of these was to be taken to Val- 
paraiso, and Captain Porter put David Farragut 
in charge of it. The young commander was then 
but twelve years of age. 

The gray-haired English captain was very angry 
at having to take orders from a boy. He tried 
to ignore David, and when he failed in this, 
attempted to frighten him. He threatened to 
shoot any man who obeyed David's orders, and 
went below for his pistols. 

David knew that the American sailors were loyal 
to him. So he sent word to the captain that if he 
did not obey, he would have him thrown over- 
board. 

After this there was no more trouble. David 
brought the vessel into the port of Valparaiso in 
safety. He soon afterward rejoined the Essex. 

Captain Porter now decided to go to some 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. j j- 



islands far out in the Pacific, where he could refit 
the ship. 

A^ the Essex approached one of these islands, 
she was met by a canoe filled with natives. The 
bodies of these people were tattooed, and they were 
gayly ornamented with feathers. They invited 
the sailors on shore, and promised to give them 
fruit and provisions. 

During the six weeks that were occupied in re- 
fitting the ship, the sailors rested on the island. 
David and the other boys of the crew were given 
lessons by the ship's chaplain each day, and when 
school hours were over, they were allowed to visit 
the islanders. 

The young natives taught the American boys 
many things. They showed them how to walk 
on stilts, and how to use a spear skillfully and with 
ease. Best of all, they taught them how to swim. 
The people of this island could swim as easily as 
they could walk. Even the babies could float in the 
water like ducks. 

The Essex left this island in December, 1813, 
and sailed for Valparaiso. 



i6 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



III. — The Loss of the Essex. 

One day in the following February, two English 
war vessels appeared in the harbor of Valparaiso. 
The Essex was lying quietly at anchor, and many 
of her crew were on shore. 

The British vessels bore down upon the Essex 
in a very hostile manner. Captain Porter was 
afraid they would attack him. They had no right 
to do this, for Chili was not at war with either 
England or America. 

One of these British vessels was a frigate called 
the Phoebe. The other was a sloop named the 
Cheriib. The Phoebe approached the Essex until 
she was within fifteen feet of her side. 

Captain Porter, standing on the deck, hailed, 
saying: ''If you touch a single yardarm, I shall 
board you instantly! " The Phoebe passed by with 
no reply. 

After this, the British vessels anchored at the 
entrance of the harbor. They could thus keep the 
Essex a prisoner. 

The vessels remained in this position for several 
weeks. On the 28th of March, a furious gale 



THE S TOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA GUT. j « 



Sprang up. The cables of the Essex gave way, 
and she began to drift out toward the Enghsh 
vessels. Captain Porter now made a desperate 
effort to escape. He set all sails and made for 
the open sea. 

Suddenly something snapped. The main top- 
mast came crashing down, carrying sails, rigging, 
and some of the crew into the water. In this dis- 
abled condition escape was impossible. The Essex 
was driven toward the shore and was finally 
brought to anchor within pistol shot of the 
beach. 

The Essex had but four guns that would shoot 
as far as the cannon of the English. The Phoebe 
and the Cherub took a position out of range of 
nearly all the Essex guns, and then poured broad- 
side after broadside into the unfortunate vessel. 

Captain 'Porter and his gallant crew fought 
against these odds until one hundred and twenty- 
four of the men had been killed or wounded. 
Then the Essex surrendered. 

During all this dreadful battle there was no 
braver officer than the little midshipman, David 



i8 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT 



Farragut. Sometimes he was carrying messages 
for the captain; again, he was bringing powder 
for the guns. 

Once when going down the hatchway a wounded 
man fell upon him. David barely escaped being 
crushed to death. 

Captain Porter was so pleased with his conduct 
that he mentioned his bravery in his official dis- 
patches to the government. 

After the surrender the wounded were removed 
to shore. David offered his services to the sur- 
geons. He worked early and late, preparing 
bandages and waiting upon the injured men. 

In speaking of this afterward, he said, ' ' I never 
earned Uncle Sam's money so faithfully." 

The British put all the American prisoners on 
board an unarmed vessel, and made them promise 
that they would not take up arms against the 
English until they had been exchanged for an 
equal number of English prisoners. 

After this the Americans were allowed to sail 
for the United States. They arrived in the harbor 
of New York on July 7, 1814. 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM1 RA L FA RRA G U T. ^ q 



IV. — The Trip on the Mediterranean. 

Although a prisoner of war, David Farragut was 
glad to get back to the United States. 

While waiting to be exchanged he attended a 
school in Chester, Pennsylvania. 

It was a strange school. The pupils had no 
books. The teacher, Mr. Neif, told them the 
things he wished them to learn, and the boys 
wrote them down in notebooks. They would 
sometimes be examined on these notes to see 
whether they had paid proper attention. 

In the afternoons, Mr. Neif would take the boys 
for long walks. They made collections of minerals 
and plants, and learned many curious and useful 
facts about them. 

Mr. Neif, who had been a soldier, gave the boys 
mihtary drill. He also taught them to swim and 
climb. 

David Farragut was not a handsome boy. But 
people liked to look at him, for his face was honest 
and good. He was short for his years, but he 
stood very erect, and held his head as high as he 
could. 



2Q THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRA GUT. 



' ' I cannot afford to lose any of my inches, " 
he said. 

In November, 1814, the British and the Amer- 
icans made an exchange of prisoners, and David 
Farragut was now free to return to the navy. 
As a treaty of peace was made a few weeks 
later, he did not have to serve against the British. 

During the next two years, David made but one 
short cruise. He was quartered, the rest of the 
time, on a receiving ship. This is a vessel sta- 
tioned at the navy yards, where recruits are first 
received into the service. 

In the spring of 18 16, David went on a cruise 
that proved to be most interesting. He was 
ordered to the Washington, a beautiful new ship 
of seventy-four guns. This was to carry the 
American minister to Naples, in Italy. 

While waiting at Annapolis for the minister they 
had a visit from the President, James Madison. 
Among his suite was Captain Porter, who was 
then a naval commissioner. He came to say 
good-bye to David. 

The voyage across the Atlantic was one to be 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. ^ T 



remembered. The captain was very proud of his 
' 'crack" ship. He kept the crew so busy cleaning 
decks and scouring ''bright work," that sometimes 
they had no food for eight hours at a time. Once 
all the crew were kept on deck for several nights 
in succession. 

During the summer months, the Washington 
cruised about the Mediterranean, stopping at 
many places. This was a wonderful experience 
for David. He visited the bay of Naples. The 
great volcano, Vesuvius, was then in eruption, 
and the sight of this alone was worth the voyage. 

While in the -bay, the king of Naples and the 
emperor of Austria made a visit to the Washing- 
ton, and a grand display was made to entertain 
them. 

The Washington stopped at the coast towns of 
Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers, and finally wintered in 
a Spanish harbor. The Spaniards were very kind 
to the captain. They allowed him to use their 
navy yard, in which to refit his vessel. 

During all this cruise, the boys on the ship were 
taught by the chaplain, Mr. Folsom. 



THE S TOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA GUT. 



He was very fond of David, and in the autumn 
of 1817, when he was appointed consul to Tunis, 
he wrote to the captain of the Washington for 
permission to take David with him. 

This request was granted, and David spent a 
dehghtful year with his old friend. He studied 
mathematics and English literature. He also 
learned to speak French and Italian. 

He and Mr. Folsom took many trips about the 
Mediterranean, and these were of great benefit to 
him. In October, 18 18, he returned to the Wash- 
ington, in which he cruised for another year. 



V. — War with the Pirates. 

While David. Farragut was at a port in the 
Mediterranean, he was summoned to America to 
take his examination for the lieutenancy. He was 
then eighteen years of age. 

In November, 1820, he arrived in New York, 
where he passed his examination successfully. He 
did not receive any appointment, however, for some 
time, as there were no vacancies in the navy. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



The next two years were spent with the Porter 
family at Norfolk, Virginia. 

In 1822, he sailed for a short time on a sloop of 
war, that was cruising about the Gulf of Mexico. 
On his return to America, he learned that Captain 
Porter was fitting out a fleet to cruise against the 
pirates of the West Indies. 

These robbers had small, fast-sailing ships. 
They would attack unarmed merchant vessels, 
seize all the valuables they could carry away, and 
destroy the remainder. Sometimes they killed 
the crew; at other times they put them ashore on 
some desert island. 

For years, Americans and English had been 
waging war against these pirates, but without suc- 
cess. With their small boats the robbers would 
run into the shallow bays and creeks, where no 
other vessels could follow them; and so they had 
grown bolder and bolder every year. 

Ever since peace had been declared with Eng- 
land, Captain Porter had been a commissioner of 
the navy, and had made no sea voyages. But 
now he offered to resign his position, and drive 



^ - THE STOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA G UT. 

24 



the pirates from the sea. He said he would do 
this upon one condition. He must have a fleet of 
small vessels that could follow the pirates into 
their lurking places. 

The government accepted his offer, and gave 
him orders to fit out such a fleet as he chose. 
He bought eight small schooners similar to those 
used by the pirates. To these were added five 
large rowboats or barges, which were called the 
Mosquito Fleet. David Farragut was assigned 
to one of the vessels named the Greyhound. 

This fleet of Captain Porter's had many encoun- 
ters with the pirates. At one time, when the 
Greyhound was off the southern coast of Cuba,, 
some of the crew went on shore to hunt game, 
and were fired upon from the thicket by pirates. 
The Americans returned this fire without effect, 
and then went back to their ship. 

Young Farragut was ordered to take a party of 
men to capture the pirates, and at three o'clock the 
next morning they set out in the barges. 

After landing, David and his men tried to go 
around to a point at the rear of the place where 



THE STOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. 2 C 



the pirates were supposed to be. This was no easy 
thing to do. They had to cut their way through 
thickets of cactus, thorny bushes, and traihng 
vines. Their shoes were cut from their feet 
with walking over the sharp rocks; and the heat 
was so intense that some of the men fainted. 

At last they found the pirate camp. It was 
deserted. The robbers had seen the GreyJiound 
and the barges, and had fled to some other hiding 
place. In the camp, which was protected by 
several cannon, there were some houses a hundred 
feet long. There was also an immense cave filled 
with all kinds of goods taken from plundered 
vessels. 

' The sailors burned the houses, and carried the 
plunder and cannon to their boats. The prize 
that David himself took away was a monkey, 
which he had captured after a fierce struggle. 

As the sailors were returning to their boats, they 
heard a great noise in the thicket behind them, and 
thought that the pirates had come back to attack 
them. David Farragut made a speech to his men. 
He urged them to stand their ground and fight 



26 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



bravely. Imagine their surprise and amusement 
at finding their foes to be thousands of land crabs, 
making their way through the briars! 

This was only one of many encounters that the 
Mosquito Fleet had with the pirates. Through all 
the time, the American sailors suffered much from 
yellow fever and exposure. David Farragut after- 
ward said: ''I never owned a bed during my cruise 
in the West Indies, but lay down to rest wherever 
I found the most comfortable berth. " 

The pirates were finally driven from the seas. 
Their boats were burned or captured, and their 
camps destroyed. 

While on this cruise, David got leave of absence 
to visit his sister in New Orleans. She was the 
only one of the family still Hving at the old home. 
It was hard for her to recognize in the stranger 
the boy who had left home so long before. 

When young Farragut was on his way to the 
north and within sight of Washington, he was 
taken ill with yellow fever. He had nursed many 
a poor sailor, and had hitherto escaped the disease. 

After a short time spent in a Washington hos- 



THE STOR Y OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. ^ 7 



pital, he was able to return home. Soon after- 
ward, he was married in Norfolk, Virginia, to 
Susan Marchant. But it was nearly two years 
before he was entirely well, and strong enough 
to resume his duties in the navy. In the mean- 
while, he and his bride spent much time with the 
family of Captain Porter. 



VI. — From Lieutenant to Captain. 

In August, 1825, David Farragut at last received 
his commission as lieutenant. He was ordered 
on board the ship Brandywiney the vessel which 
was to have the honor of taking the Marquis de 
Lafayette to France. 

This great Frenchman had always been a warm 
friend of the United States. Fifty years before, 
he had taken a leading part in the Revolutionary 
War, and had been one of General Washington's 
most trusted officers. 

After the Revolution, he had returned to his 
home in sunny France. He had always loved 
America, and in his old age he felt that he 



28 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 




would like to visit again the great nation which 
he had helped to establish. So in 1824, though 
old and gray, he had come back to America as 
the honored guest of the nation. 

From one end of the land to the other, his 
tour had been one grand ovation. 
And now that he was to return 
home, the good ship Brandy- 
zvine was detailed to carry him 
safely across the Atlantic. 

The voyage was an unevent- 
ful one for Lieutenant Farragut. 
After landing Lafayette in 
France, the Bra^idywine cruised about the shores 
of England and in the waters of the Mediterranean 
for about a year. 

On his return to America, Lieutenant Farragut 
found that his wife was in very poor health, and 
he obtained leave of absence from the navy, in 
order that he might take her to a famous doctor 
in New Haven, Connecticut. 

During his stay in .that city, he regularly at- 
tended the lectures at Yale College, for David 



LAFAYETTE. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



29 



Farragut never wasted an opportunity for self- 
improvement. When his wife was better, they 
returned to Norfolk, where he was placed in charge 
of the receiving ship in the navy yard. 

Most of the boys on the ship were uneducated 
and did not know one letter from another. Lieu- 
tenant Farragut therefore established a school on 
board. This proved to be of great value to these 
poor boys. 

One boy had run away from home to avoid 
going to school, and he was determined that he 
would not study. It was only after many severe 
punishments that he was conquered. When once 
started in the right direction, he learned rapidly. 

One day, seven years afterward, a fine-looking, 
well-dressed man stopped David Farragut on the 
street. On being asked his name, the stranger 
rephed, ' ' I have grown probably a foot since we 
parted, but do you not remember the boy who 
once gave you so much trouble ? " 

•* Oh yes," said Farragut, *'but I should never 
have recognized him in you." 

''Nevertheless," said the stranger, ''I am the 



^ Q THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA G UT. 



same, and am ready to acknowledge you the 
greatest benefactor and friend I ever had in this 
world of trouble." 

After leaving the receiving ship, Lieutenant 
Farragut spent the next ten years in short cruises 
along the South American coast and about the 
Gulf of Mexico. During all this time his wife was 
an invalid, and her health continued to fail until 
her death in 1840. 

For two years before her death, Lieutenant 
Farragut was at home on leave of absence. He 
could then be constantly with her and wait upon 
her. 

In speaking of his devotion to his wife, a lady in 
Norfolk said: ''When Lieutenant Farragut dies, 
every woman in the city should bring a stone, and 
build for him a monument reaching to the 
skies. " 

In 1 84 1 promotion came to Farragut, and he 
received a commission as commander in the navy. 

In 1845, the state of Texas was annexed to the 
United States. This brought about a dispute 
with Mexico concerning the southwestern bound- 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



ary of the state, and the result was a short war, 
in which the Americans were victorious. 

Commander Farragut was very anxious to serve 
his country in this Mexican War, and wrote many 
letters to the Navy Department, asking for the 
command of a ship. For a long time he waited 
in vain. When, at last, a vessel was assigned to 
him, it was too late for him to do his country any 
service. The war was about over, and there was 
no more work for the navy to do. 

From 1850 until 1852, he was employed in 
Washington, drawing up a book of regulations 
for the navy. As when in New Haven he had 
attended the lectures 
of Yale College, so 
now he attended 
those of the Smith- 
sonian Institution. 

' ' I have made it 
a rule of my life to 
do all things with a 
view to the possible future. You cannot come 
away from such lectures without being wiser than 




SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



when you went in, " he said. When the book of 
regulations was finished, he went back to the navy 
yard at Norfolk, where he gave a series of lectures 
on gunnery to the officers. 

About this time, England and France were at 
war with Russia. Farragut applied to Congress 
for permission to visit the English and French 
fleets engaged in this war. He wished to see 
whether he could learn of any improvements that 
could be made in the American navy. 

But Congress had other work for him to do. 
There was to be a new navy yard built on the 
Pacific coast, at San Francisco. This would be a 
difficult task, and one requiring the services of a 
man having great knowledge and experience. No 
one was better fitted to undertake it than the 
lieutenant who had been so eager to make use of 
every opportunity for improvement. 

In August, 1854, he was accordingly sent to 
Cahfornia. Some time before this, he had mar- 
ried a second wife, Virginia Loyall, of Norfolk, and 
she accompanied him to the Pacific coast. There 
were then no railroads across the great western 



THE STOR Y OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. ^ ^ 



plains, and they went by ship to the isthmus of 
Panama. After crossing the isthmus, they em- 
barked upon a coasting vessel, and sailed to San 
Francisco. 

Commander Farragut spent four years in laying 
the foundations of what is to-day the great navy 
yard on Mares Island, about thirty miles from 
San Francisco. 

Before this work was completed he was promoted 
to the rank of captain. This was, at that time, the 
highest rank in the United States navy. 

In July, 1858, Captain Farragut returned home. 
He was given, at once, the command of the Brook- 
lyn. It had been ten years since he had been on 
a war vessel, and he found many changes. His 
ship had steam power as well as sails. It was 
one of the first steam war vessels built for the 
navy. 

The arrangement of the guns was the same as 
in the old sailing sloops. But they were much 
larger, and of different shape. Explosive shells 
were used instead of solid cannon balls. 

The Brooklyn cruised for two years in the Atlan- 



^ . THE S TOR Y OF ADM IRA L FA RRA G UT. 



tic and the Gulf of Mexico. While on this cruise, 
Captain Farragut again visited New Orleans, for 
he wished to see his brother who was on duty at 
the naval station there. A sorrowful welcome 
awaited him, however, for his brother had died 
just before his arrival. The captain sadly returned 
to his ship, and soon afterward sailed home to 
Norfolk. 



VII. — The Question of Allegiance. 

In 1 86 1, at the beginning of the Civil War, the 
United States navy had but ninety vessels of all 
kinds. Twenty-one of these were not fit for serv- 
ice. Only eleven of those in commission were in 
American waters. The rest, which were scattered 
all over the world, were recalled at once. 

Some of those in far away ports were com- 
manded by southern captains, and it would take 
them several months to reach America. 

It was feared that they would take their vessels 
into southern ports, and turn them over to the 
Confederate government. These fears, however, 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. ^^ 



were groundless, for all the vessels were safely 
brought into northern ports. With few exceptions, 
all the naval officers were loyal to the United 
States. 

Of all these naval officers, none was more loyal 
than Captain Farragut. In his home in Virginia, 
he had watched the growing troubles with a sad 
heart. He was a southerner by birth, and his most 
tender ties were in Virginia. It was there that he 
had spent many years with the Porter family, and 
there he had numerous friends. It was there, also, 
that he had married and made his home. 

He knew that, should war break out, he would be 
called upon to choose between his friends in the 
South, and his government in the North. 

"God forbid," he said, *'thatl should have to 
raise my hand against the South." These very 
words showed that his decision had been made. 

He felt that he owed his first allegiance to the 
United States government, which had given him 
his education, employment, and rank. He could 
not take up arms against the flag of his country. 
It was under this flag that he had received his first 



^ ^ THE S TOR Y OF A DMIRA L FARRAGUT. 



commission as midshipman. In that proud mo- 
ment he had taken his oath to die in its defense. 

On the ocean, he had seen the proudest colors 
lowered to the victorious stars and stripes. At 
Valparaiso, he had stood on the bloody deck of 
the Essex, and had seen men give their lives in 
order that the flag should not be hauled down. 
He had traveled from ocean to ocean, and had 
seen the star spangled banner respected by all 
nations. 

For some weeks before the actual beginning of 
war, there was much excitement in Norfolk. Every 
day the men met together in the stores to talk 
over the latest news, and there were many lively 
discussions among them. In these meetings, Cap- 
tain Farragut boldly asserted his loyalty to the 
government, and this caused him the loss of many 
of his friends. 

One morning, when in discussion with some 
officers, one of them said to him, ''A person of 
your sentiments cannot live in Norfolk." 

''Well, then," he calmly replied, ''I can live 
somewhere else." 



THE STORY OF A DMtRA L PA ERA GUT. ^ « 



He felt that the time for action had come. He 
went home at once, and told his wife that he was 
going to ' ' stick to the flag, " and that they must 
move to the North. 

With sad hearts, they sailed away from Norfolk. 

They went to New York, and made their home 
on the Hudson, in a town called Hastings. 

Even there, Captain Farragut met with a cold 
reception. The people were suspicious of the 
southern officer who had come to live among them. 
They did not consider the great sacrifice that he 
had made in leaving home and friends. 

Determined to do his duty, he wrote to offer his 
services to the government. Congress could not, 
at once, accept them. No minor position could be 
given to Captain Farragut; it must be one full of 
responsibility. 

It was not long, however, until the government 
had need of his services. The Mississippi River 
separated two large sections of the southern 
states, and its control was of the greatest impor- 
tance to both the North and the South. 

At the beginning of the war, all the river from 



38 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf, was controlled by the 
South. The capture of the upper forts in this 
section was first attempted by the North. 

Large armies marched against them by land, 
and a fleet of river gunboats sailed down from the 
north to assist them. These gunboats were river 
steamers which the government had covered with 
plates of iron and armed with cannon. 

While the northern river forts were thus being at- 
tacked, an expedition was planned to capture the 
fortifications near the river's mouth. 

The strongest of these were Fort Jackson and 
Fort St. Philip. These were between New Or- 
leans and the Gulf of Mexico, and their capture 
would give New Orleans to the North. This was 
considered a very important undertaking. 

After much discussion, the Navy Department 
decided that Captain Farragut was best fitted to 
command this expedition. So Commander David 
D. Porter was sent to Hastings to talk the matter 
over with him. This commander was the son of 
the Captain Porter who had adopted David Farra- 
gut when a boy. 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. ^ q 



When Captain Farragut heard of the proposed 
expedition he was very enthusiastic. He hurried at 
once to Washington, where he was appointed com- 
mander of the Western Gulf Blockading Squad- 
ron. This was in January, 1862. His orders 
were to capture Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and 
take New Orleans. 

A few weeks before this an event took place 
which came near making serious trouble for the 
United States. The Confederate government had 
appointed two commissioners, John Slidell and 
James Mason, to go to England to see if they 
could not get help from that country. 

As it would be dangerous for them to sail in a 
Confederate vessel, they went to Havana, Cuba, 
where they took passage in an English vessel 
named the Trent. 

Although they had tried to do this very secretly. 
Captain Wilkes, commanding a warship of the 
United States, heard about it, and determined to 
capture these men, if possible. So he pursued 
the Trent and obliged her to stop. 

The Confederate commissioners refused to leave 



. ^ THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. 

40 



the Trent, and, therefore, Captain Wilkes sent an 
armed force on board and carried them off. He 
then took them to Boston harbor, where they were 
imprisoned in a fort of the United States. 

This act caused great indignation in England, 
and it was only through the prompt and wise 
action of President Lincoln and Congress that 
war was averted. An apology was made and the 
Confederate commissioners were allowed to pro- 
ceed on their voyage without further molestation. 



VIII. — The Capture of New Orleans. 

On the 2d of February, 1862, Captain Farragut 
sailed from Hampton Roads in his flagship, the 
Hartford. This was one of the new sloops of war 
having both steam and sails. 

All the vessels of this expedition were to meet 
at Ships Island, about one hundred miles from 
the mouth of the Mississippi. When Captain 
Farragut arrived there on February 20th, he found 
only a part of his fleet awaiting him. The other 
vessels arrived one by one, 



THE STORY GF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



41 



This was the most powerful squadron that had 
ever been under an American commander. It 
consisted of steam sloops, gunboats, and mortar 
boats, forty-eight vessels in all. 

An army of fifteen thousand men was at hand 
to assist Captain Farragut. This army had been 
brought from the North on transports, and was 
under the 
command o f 
General Ben- 
jamin F. But- 
ler. 

In the chan- 
nel, at the 
mouth of the 
M ississippi, 

were heavy mud banks, made of deposits brought 
down by the stream. To take the large vessels 
over this bar was Captain Farragut's first great 
task. The water was so shallow that the keels 
of the ships would sometimes stick in the mud, 
and then it was with the greatest of difficulty that 
they could be hauled off, 




THE HARTFORD. 



. ^ THE S TOR Y OF AD MIR A L FA RRA GUT. 

42 



It was the i8th of April before all the vessels 
were in the river and ready to attack the forts; 
and in the meanwhile, a great naval battle had 
been fought in other waters. 

The Confederates had captured the Norfolk 
navy yard, and with it the United States vessel 
Merrimac, which was there at the time. They 
removed the masts of this vessel, and then 
fitted her with an iron prow, and built sloping 
sides over the deck, covering them with iron rails 
laid closely together side by side. 

Five of the best Northern war vessels lay in the 
bay outside of the harbor. 

On March 8th, 1862, the Me7'rimac attacked 
this fleet. She drove her iron prow straight 
through the side of the Cumberland. This vessel 
sank almost immediately, and but few of the men 
were saved. 

Then the Merrhnac attacked the Congress, 
drove her ashore, and set her on fire with red hot 
shot. Meanwhile, broadside after broadside had 
been fired at the Merrirnac; but the shot bounded 
harmlessly from her sloping iron sides. 



THE STOR Y OF A DMtRA L FA RRA GUT. .^ 



Night came on, and before attempting to 
destroy the other three ships, the black monster 
waited for the dayhght. 

There was consternation all through the North. 
How could a stop be made to this fearful work 
of the Merrimac? There was no telling what she 
might do on the morrow. 

That same night there streamed 
into Chesapeake Bay a queer look- 
ing little vessel which had been 
built by a famous mechanic, Cap- 
tain John Ericsson. She was 
named the Monitor. She had a 
low, flat deck, pointed at both 
ends. In the center was a round, revolving turret. 
The vessel was completely plated over with iron, 
and in the turret were two enormous guns, larger 
than any that had ever been used before. 

On the morning of March 9th, when the Mer- 
rimac steamed out to finish her work of destruc- 
tion, a stupendous cannon ball came thundering 
against her black side. As the turret of the little 
Monitor swung round, there came another and 




CONFEDERATE FLAG. 



. . THE S TOR Y OI- A DM1 R A L FA RRA GUT. 

44 



another, — such a battering as never ship's side had 
felt before that day. 

The broadsides returned by the Me7'rimac fell 
harmlessly on the flat deck and iron turret of the 
Monitor. 

This battle lasted for nearly three hours. 
Neither vessel was injured to any extent. Finally 
the Merrimac withdrew, leaving the Monitoi" in 
possession of the bay. 

In one respect, this was the most wonderful 
battle ever fought upon the water. It showed to 
all the nations of the world that new navies must 
be built. In one day all the war-ships in the world 
had become old-fashioned. The days for wooden 
war vessels were over. 

Let us now return to Captain Farragut. As I 
have said, by the i8th of April he had succeeded 
in taking all his vessels over the bar of the Missis- 
sippi. But still greater difficulties were ahead of 
him. 

Before he could capture New Orleans, he must 
pass the two forts, Jackson and St. Philip, on 
opposite banks of the river. First of all, however, 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



45 



he must break through a 
barricade which was below 
the forts. This reached 
from shore to shore, and 
was made of old hulks of 
vessels and cypress logs, 
fastened together with huge 
iron chains. 

Should the barricade be 
broken and the forts 
passed, there was still a 
Confederate fleet to be 
overcome. This consisted 
of fifteen ships, gunboats, 




MAP OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI. 



46 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



and steam rams similar to the Merrimac. They 
were drawn up across the river above the forts. 
Captain Farragut was not discouraged by any of 
these things, but began at once to carry out his 
plans. 

All along the banks of the river were thick 
woods. The forts themselves were almost hid- 
den by the trees. Captain Farragut stationed 
his mortar boats close to the banks, below the 
chain barricade; and, in order that they might be 
better hidden from the forts, large branches of 
trees had been tied to the tops of the masts. 

This mortar flotilla was commanded by Captain 
Porter. The mortars could throw thirteen-inch 
shells for a distance of two miles. 

Captain Farragut's plan was to send these mor- 
tar boats forward to bombard the forts, while the 
other vessels, breaking through the chains, should 
sail boldly up the river. 

On the morning of April i8th, the shells from 
the mortars began to rain down upon the forts. 
For six days and nights this firing never ceased. 
The answering shots from the forts did but little 



THE STORY OF A DMIRA L FA RRA GUT. . - 



harm. The Confederates could not take aim at 
boats which they could not see. 

Meanwhile, two of Captain Farragut's gunboats 
crept up the river at night, and broke a passage 
through the chain barricade. Then, on the night 
of April 23d, the entire fleet sailed through this 
opening and boldly attacked the forts. 

The whole river was at once a scene of con- 
fusion. Every gun, both of the forts and of the 
Confederate fleet, which had hastened down the 
river, was sending shot and shell into the Union 
fleet. 

The Confederates piled every kind of inflam- 
mable material upon huge rafts, set them on fire, 
and sent them floating down the river. They 
hoped, in this way, to burn the invading fleet. 
The river was a blaze of light. The din from the 
cannon was terrible. 

But Captain Farragut and his vessels kept 
steadily on. They passed the forts, and destroyed 
or captured every vessel in the Confederate fleet. 
This was accomplished with the loss of but one 
ship of the Union squadron. 



48 



THE STOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA G UT. 



When the news of this victory reached New 
Orleans, the whole city was thrown into wild con- 
fusion. Men, women, and children rushed to the 
levee and set fire to the goods there. 

Everything that would burn was set on fire, and 

sent down the river to meet 

the victorious ffeet that was 

coming. Ships loaded with 

burning cotton, and even a 

half-finished ram like the 

Mcrrimac floated down 

stream, a mass of flames. 

About noon on April 

25th, the fleet rounded the 

bend of the river, and came 

in sight of the city. That 

same morning, the mayor of New Orleans had 

ordered the state flag of Louisiana to be hoisted 

upon the city hall. 

Captain Farragut demanded that this should 
be hauled down. He also ordered that the stars 
and stripes should be raised over the buildings 
belonging to the United States government. 




GENERAL B. F. BUTLER. 



THE S TOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA GUT . q 



Meanwhile, Commander Porter with his mortar 
boats had been steadily bombarding Fort Jackson 
and Fort St. Philip. On April 28th, these forts 
surrendered, and the Union forces took possession. 

On the following day, the flag of the United 
States was floating over the city hall of New 
Orleans. General Butler and his troops took pos- 
session of the city on the first of May. 

On the nth of July, on the recommendation of 
President Lincoln, Congress passed a resolution 
thanking Captain Farragut for what he had done ; 
and a few days later he was further rewarded by 
being raised to the rank of rear-admiral. 



IX. — The Battle of Mobile Bay. 

After the capture of New Orleans, Admiral 
Farragut was ordered at once to proceed up the 
river. He was to pass, or to attack and capture, 
all the Confederate forts between New Orleans 
and Memphis. 

But for many reasons, he thought it unwise to 
attempt this expedition. 



50 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



The increasing shallowness of the river would 
make it almost impossible to use his best sea- 
going vessels. The upper forts were located on 
high blufTs. and it would be difficult to attack them 

from the river. 

Admiral Farragut knew 
that, should he be able to 
pass these forts, or even to 
silence their guns, he could 
not hold them without a 
large land force. But he 
was too good a soldier to 
do anything in disobedience 
to orders. 

In the face of all these 
difficulties, he passed and repassed the forts at 
Vicksburg and Port Hudson. He made it plain 
to the Confederates that none of their batteries 
on the Mississippi could stop the movements of 
his fleet. But he found, as he had expected, that 
the forts could not be held until armies came to his 
assistance. 

A large land force under General Grant besieged 




GENERAL N. P. BANKS. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



51 



Vicksburg until it surrendered on July 4, 1863. 
Five days later, an army under General Nathaniel 
P. Banks succeeded in capturing Port Hudson. 

These were the last Confederate strongholds on 
the Mississippi. Their cap- 
ture gave to the Union 
forces the entire control of 
the river. 

The command of the 
Mississippi squadron was 
given to David D. Porter, 
who had likewise been re- 
warded with the rank of rear- 
admiral. He took charge 
of all the river boats of the 

fleet, while Farragut, with most of the sea-going 
vessels, sailed for the Atlantic coast. 

These vessels were all in need of repairs. His 
flagship, the Hartford, which was in the best con- 
dition of all, had two hundred and forty scars from 
shot and shell. 

After the loss of New Orleans, Mobile was the 
best Gulf port left to the Confederates. This city 




ADMIRAL DAVID D. PORTER. 



- THE S TOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA G UT. 

stands at the head of the broad, shallow bay of 
Mobile, thirty miles from the Gulf. 

The entrance to the bay is very narrow, and it 
was protected by two strong forts, — Fort Mor- 
gan on one side, and Fort Gaines on the other. 

Admiral Farragut was ordered to capture these 
forts. This would prevent the South from using 
the port of Mobile. 

On January i8th, 1864, his ships having been 
repaired, Captain Farragut sailed again into the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

He was anxious to make the attack early in the 
spring, but it was August before his fleet was 
ready. 

In the meantime, the Confederates had made 
their fortifications stronger. The only channel 
through which the vessels could pass was near 
Fort Morgan. The Confederates strengthened 
this fort with every defense possible. 

A double line of torpedoes, or submarine mines, 
was stretched across the channel. Above this, lay 
the Confederate fleet. One of these vessels, the 
Tennessee, was a huge iron ram like the Mcrrimac. 



THE S TOR Y OF A DM1 R A L FA RRA G UT. r ^ 



The squadron of Admiral Farragut was a strong 
one. There were twenty-four wooden war vessels 
and four ironclads like the Alonitor. 

On the night of August 4th, every preparation 
was made for the attack. The seamen, with 
determined faces, gave their messages and keep- 
sakes to their messmates, for they hardly expected 
to come out of this fray alive. 

Admiral Farragut, himself, made all his arrange- 
ments for the worst, though hoping for the best. 
He wrote to his wife, ' ' I am going into Mobile in 
the morning, if God is my leader, as I hope He 
is, and in Him I place my trust. If He thinks it 
is the place for me to die, I am ready to submit to 
His will. God bless and preserve you, if any- 
thing should happen to me." 

At sunrise the fleet moved steadily toward Fort 
Morgan, the stars and stripes flying from every 
masthead. 

The four ironclads were sent ahead, close to the 
forts. The wooden war vessels followed, lashed 
together in pairs. This was done so that if one 
vessel became disabled it could be towed by the 



^ . THE S TOR Y OF A DMIRA L FA RRA GUT. 

54 

other. Farragut wished to lead the fleet in his 
flagship, the Hartford, but his officers dissuaded 
him, and the Brooklyn went first, the Hartford fol- 
lowing. 

The admiral climbed up in the rigging, where he 
could command a view of the entire fleet. As the 
shells from the forts began to fall about the ves- 
sels, he climbed higher and higher, in order to see 
above the smoke. 

Fearing that a shot would cut the ropes, one of 
his officers climbed up to him and wound a rope 
around his body. The end of this was secured to 
the mast. 

The ironclad Tecumseh was now leading the 
fleet. Suddenly there was a muflled explosion. 
The stern of the Tecumseh rose out of the water 
and she plunged bow foremost to the bottom of 
the channel. 

At this, the Brooklyn stopped, and with reversed 
engines began to back water. Admiral Farragut 
signaled, and asked, ' ' What s the trouble ? " 
' ' Torpedoes, " was the reply. 

This was the critical moment of the battle. 



THE STOR Y OF A DM IRA L FA RRA GUT. j- - 



The backing of the Brookly^i caused confusion 
among the vessels following so closely upon each 
other. There was tremendous cheering and 
firing from the Confederates. They were sure 
that the victory was theirs. 

A signal was made to the Brooklyn to go ahead, 
but she remained motionless. 

What should be done? To remain there, under 
the guns of the fort, with the other vessels coming 
up behind, was out of the question. Ahead lay 
the dreaded line of torpedoes. Everything de- 
pended upon prompt decision. 

Admiral Farragut ordered the Hartford to go 
ahead, ' ' full speed. " She passed the Brooklyn, 
and made straight for the mines that had sunk the 
Teczimseh. As they crossed the line of torpedoes, 
the sailors could hear them grating against the 
hull of the vessel. None of them exploded, how- 
ever, and the Hartford passed the fatal line in 
safety. 

The effect of this daring deed was wonderful. 
Men sprang to the guns, and the air was filled 
with the roar of cannon. The other vessels all 



56 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



followed the Hartford across the torpedoes, into 
the bay. They then attacked the Confederate 
fleet, and soon either captured or destroyed all but 
the ram Tennessee. This vessel had taken refuge 

under the guns of Fort 
Morgan. 

Admiral Farragut then 
anchored about four miles 
up the bay. While his 
men were having break- 
fast the iron ram steamed 
out boldly from the fort 
to attack the whole fleet. 
Admiral Buchanan, the 
commander of the Con- 
federate fleet, was a brave officer. Not until after 
a fierce combat, which lasted over an hour, was he 
forced to surrender the Tennessee. 

This ended the battle of Mobile Bay. '' It was 
one of the hardest earned victories of my life, 
and the most desperate battle I ever fought since 
the days of the Essex, " said Farragut. 

Not quite three hours had passed from the time 




ADMIRAL BUCHANAN. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



57 



that Fort Morgan fired its first gun until the 
Tennessee surrendered. 

With the Confederate fleet destroyed, and 
Mobile Bay in possession of Farragut, the forts 
were soon captured. 

While Farragut had been 
winning these victories in 
the Gulf, a very brilliant 
naval battle had been 
fought off the coast of 
France. 

During the whole of the 
war, England had allowed 

,1 r^rj j_ j^ r ^ , CAPTAIN RAPHAEL SEMMES. 

the Confederates to nt out 

armed cruisers in her harbors, and to send them 
out to prey upon the United States commerce. 
The most famous of these cruisers was the 
Alabama, commanded by Captain Raphael 
Semmes. For two years this vessel had roamed 
the sea, burning and destroying nearly forty 
United States merchantmen, but always eluding 
the war vessels. 

At last, in June, 1864, the United States war 




58 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



vessel Kearsarge discovered this enemy in the 
harbor of Cherbourg, France. As it would have 
been against the laws of nations to fight a battle 
in the harbor, the Kearsarge remained outside to 
prevent the Alabama from getting away. 

Finally on Sunday, June 19th, the Alabama 
suddenly put to sea and attacked the Kearsarge. 
The vessels were evenly matched. 

The battle following was terrific. But the crew 
of the Kearsarge proved to be the better marks- 
men, and after an hour's furious fighting the 
Alabama suddenly gave a great lurch and plunged 
to the bottom of the ocean. The crew were picked 
up by the Kearsa7'ge and some English vessels 
which happened to be near. 



X. — Well-earned Laurels. 

After the surrender of the forts, Farragut re- 
mained in Mobile Bay until the following Novem- 
ber. His health was sufi^ering from his labors 
and the effects of the southern climate. 

At this time, the Navy Department requested 



THE S TOR V OF A DMIR AL FARRAG UT. - ^ 



him to take command of an expedition against 
Fort Fisher. This greatly disturbed him, and he 
wrote to the Secretary of the Navy that his 
strength was exhausted. 

"I am wilhng, " he said, " to do the bidding of 
the government as long as I am able. I fear, how- 
ever, that my health is giving way. I have now 
been down to the Gulf five years out of six, and I 
want rest if it is to be had. " 

When the Secretary of the Navy realized the 
condition of his health, Admiral Farragut was 
granted the much needed furlough. 

Leaving his squadron in charge of an efficient 
officer, he sailed north in November, 1864. As 
his flagship entered New York harbor, it was met 
by a committee of city officials and citizens. 
Enthusiastic crowds greeted him as he landed, and 
a reception in his honor was held at the custom- 
house. 

A few days later, a committee of citizens sent 
him a request to make his home in New York. 
With this request came a gift of #50,000. In 
December, Congress created for him the grade 



<- THE STOR Y OF ADMIRAL FARRA GUT, 



of vice-admiral. All these honors were gratefully 
and modestly acknowledged by him. 

In the spring of 1865 peace was declared, and 
Admiral Farragut went for a visit to Norfolk. He 
fomid that many of his old acquaintances still felt 
very unfriendly towards him for having taken up 
arms against the South. Although this p?ined him 
deeply, he said that he had never regretted having 
done his duty. 

In 1866, the government gave him the title of 
Admiral. This title made him commander of the 
whole American navy.. It was a rank created 
especially for him. The government could give 
him no higher honor. 

In 1867, he was appointed commander of the 
European squadron. Without any request from 
him, the government sent permission for Mrs. 
Farragut to accompany him on this cruise. On 
June 28th, they sailed from New York on the 
steam frigate Franklin. 

This foreign cruise was more like the triumphal 
progress of a king than the official visit of a naval 
commander. He dined with the emperor of 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



6l 



France and the queen of England. He visited 
the ports of Russia, Holland, and Belgium. He 
sailed again through the blue Mediterranean, vis- 
iting the places he had seen on his former cruise. 
A special excavation of the buried Pompeii was 
made for his benefit. At Malta, a grand recep- 
tion was held in his honor. 

But most of all, he enjoyed a visit to his father's 
Spanish birthplace. This was in the island of 
Minorca, just off the eastern coast of Spain. 

He was to visit the little city on the day before 
Christmas. The news of his coming had spread 
rapidly to all parts of the island, and a general 
holiday had been proclaimed. 

At every village on the way crowds of men and 
women came to meet him and bid him welcome. 
All along the route soldiers had been stationed to 
pay him honor, and give him any assistance that 
he might need. 

Four miles from the city gates he was met by a 
large committee of citizens, and transferred to a 
handsome carriage. 

The city walls, housetops, and balconies were 



62 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



crowded with men, women, and children. One old 
man, with tears streaming down his face, shouted: 
' ' He is ours ! He is ours ! " 

The admiral was entertained at the mansion of 
one of the prominent citizens. A band of music 
played in the vestibule, while the people came in 
crowds. 

Early the next day, surrounded by an excited 
throng, he was escorted to all the places of interest. 
They finally went to the great cathedral, where 
the organ pealed forth the American national airs. 

This was the last place the admiral visited be- 
fore his return to America. He landed in New 
York, November loth, 1868. 

The following summer, he made a trip to the 
Pacific coast, to visit the navy yard at Mares 
Island. You will remember that, years before, he 
had laid the foundations of this navy yard. 

Returning from San Francisco to the East, he 
was taken very ill in Chicago. By careful nursing 
he was able to resume the journey. But he never 
regained his lost strength, and his health continued 
steadily to fail. 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FARRAGUT. 



63 



The following summer the Navy Department 
placed a steamer at his disposal, and with his 
family he visited Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 

This was his last sea voyage. As the ship came 
into harbor, he arose from his sick bed at the 
sound of the salute being fired in his honor. 

Dressed in full uniform, he went on deck. 
Looking up with a sad smile at his flag flying 
from the masthead, he said : ' ' It would be well 
if I died now in harness. " 

Shortly after his arrival he wandered on board 
a disrhantled sloop, lying at the wharf. He looked 
about the ship, and, as he left her to go ashore, 
he said : " This is the last time I shall ever tread 
the deck of a man of war. " 

This proved to be true. On August 14th, 1870, 
surrounded by his family and loving friends, he 
died. He was sixty-nine years old. 

The government sent a steam frigate to take his 
body to New York. On the day of his funeral, 
the whole city was in mourning. The buildings 
were draped in black. Bells were tolled and 
guns fired. 



64 



THE STORY OF ADMIRAL FA RR A GUT. 



His body was laid in Woodlawn Cemetery. 
Heading the procession was General Grant, then 
the President of the United States. Following 
were many military and naval officers, and thou- 
sands of soldiers. 

The government erected a bronze statue in his 
honor. This is in the national capital, in Farragut 
Square. 

Thus ends the story of the life of America's first 
admiral, the story of a man who won fame and 
glory by constant effort for self-improvement and 
strict adherence to duty. 




MONUMENT TO FARRAGUT AT WASHINGTON. 



**jm Great 



James Baldwin, Ph. D. 



flmericans'' Series,,, 



For Young American Readers. 

In order that Baldwin's Biographical Stories may be had 
in book form, they are bound together, four Booklets to the 
volume. These volumes, beautifully bound in cloth, will be 
published and known as the ''Four Great Americans" Series. 



VOLUMES NOW READY.' 

L Four Great Americans 

GEORGE WASHINGTON, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 
DANIEL WEBSTER, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 

By James Baldwin, Ph« D. 
Cloth. 246 Pages. . . . Price, 50 Cents. 

IL Four American Patriots 

PATRICK HENRY, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, 
ANDREW JACKSON, ULYSSES S. GRANT. 
By Alma Holman Burton, 

Author of ** The Story of Our Country." 

Cloth. 256 Pages. . . . Price, 50 Cents. 



Other Volumes in Preparation. 
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III. Four American Naval Heroes, (In Press, 



" FOR BEGINNERS IN READING." 

THE WERNER PRIMER 

Exquisitely Illustrated in Colors, 
\\2 Pages. Price 30 Cents. 

'T^HE Werner Primer is a growth. It is based on the 
•*- Kindergarten idea as taught by Froebel. It in- 
cludes all the work for the first half year, taking up the 
subjects of reading, writing, language, number, science, 
drawing, literature, and occupations, by means of the 
most perfect inductive, correlative exercises. 

This famous book has accomplished two results: 

1. It has revolutionized methods of teaching be- 
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2. It has revolutionized the making" of text-books 
for beg'inners in reading". 

The ' ' old style ' ' Primers, First Readers, Primary 
Readers, etc. , have all been relegated to the past. THE 
WERNER PRIMER stands without a rival in original- 
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in everything needed in the schoolroom for beginners in 
reading. 

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THE 

First Year Nature Reader. 

o# o# o? 

For Grades I and II. "^^.V.^^T^m... 
J54 Pages. Price 35 Cents. 

THIS is a remarkably interesting book for children. 
It is designed to be taken up after the Werner 
Primer, and has been prepared in the same thorough 
and beautiful manner. The subject matter follows the 
seasons as they change from fall to summer, calling 
attention to the flowers, fruits, birds, and activities of 
every-day interest. 

The study of Nature is always attractive to the child, 
and in the First Year Nature Reader are some of the 
most interesting phases of out-door life, put in a form 
easily understood and enjoyed by the youngest reader. 

A valuable feature of the book is a list of appropriate 
stories by well-known authors. These are to be read or 
told in connection with the reading lessons. At the end 
of the book are placed many suggestions regarding seat 
work, such as painting, drawing, modeling, sewing, etc. 
The book is beautifully illustrated in colors and forms an 
"ideal First Reader." 



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Legends of the Red Children 

si? oJ? O? 

For Grades IV and V. ^^r^ l. pratt 

128 Pages. Price 30 Cents. 

TN contrast with the old, classic tales and the lessons 
^ from Nature are these poetic legends of Indian life. 
Children delight in beautiful stories like these, which 
carry them into a new and strange world. Not only do 
the myths form most interesting reading, but they 
directly cultivate the child's imagination by means of the 
delightful, poetic fancies. 

The literary style of the author is picturesque and 
charming, and is peculiarly adapted to interest the 
children. The following extract, from the preface, shows 
the pleasing character of the writings: 

"Many years ago, when this country of ours was one great forest, 
* * * there dwelt a race of happy little children. The Red Children, 
we call them * * * Some wise men, who loved the Red Children and 
saw the sweetness of their simple stories, gathered them together and 
told them in a book, so that you and I might read these legends of the 
Red Children. " 

The little book is attractively bound and illustrated. 
The chapters include, among others: 

The Legend o.f the Lightning. The Rainbow. 

The Star Beautiful. The Sun a Prisoner. 

Will-o'-the-Wisp, The Land of the Hereafter, etc. 



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The Story of Our Country* 

^ o? o? 

For Grades Y and VI. ^j;ma homan burton 

240 Pages. Price 60 Cents. 

'T^HIS is a unique and charming work, which not only 
-*- forms an admirable primary history, but also makes 
a remarkably interesting book for supplementary read- 
ing. It is the story of the people of the United States, 
and of their progress from the struggles and privations 
in the wilderness down to the national prosperity of to- 
day. 

So skillfully is our country's growth depicted that the 
whole is one continuous story, as charming as any ro- 
mance and of absorbing interest from beginning to end. 
The captivating and picturesque style in which it is writ- 
ten makes the work especially desirable as a supplemen- 
tary reading book. 

The illustrations are numerous, and are much more 
than mere pictures, for each one assists in telling the 
story, and is not thrown in haphazard, merely for embel- 
lishment. 

The author's aim throughout is to awaken in the child 
an interest in our country's progress and to cherish feel- 
ings of patriotic pride and love of country. 



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SOHRAB AND RUSTUM 

AN EPISODE 

For Higher Grades. mWhew arnold 

\23> Pages. Price 40 Cents. 

'T^HIS little volume presents one of the greatest epics 
•^ of modern times, and introduces the student to 
the rich fields of Persian literature. The subject of the 
poem goes back to the earliest traditions of Persia, which 
have been handed down for centuries in the folk-lore and 
the written chronicles. During the '. ^.nth century these 
traditional data were gathered together by the ' * Homer 
of Persia ' ' into one great epic, and it is on the crowning 
episode of this great saga that Arnold has based his poem. 

Sohrab and Rustum, more than any other of his 
works, has placed Arnold among the poets of modern 
England. It is the masterpiece of his classic and heroic 
poems. A most interesting introduction, and valuable 
and abundant notes, have been prepared by Merwin 
Marie Snell. There is also a bibliography for the use of 
students. 

This poem has been selected as one of the English 
requirements for admission into the colleges of the 
United States. 



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[98— 10-98J 



afaj/ettcy 



The 



THE BOOK OF 
THE HOUR for 
THE YOUTH 
OF AMERICA.. 






Just 
Published. 



^riend^^J^merican jClberti/ 

iJ\\z proposal to erect a monument in Paris to the 
early friend of American liberty, GENERAL 
LAFAYETTE, by contributions from the patriotic 
school children of the United States, has aroused 
national cnthu":asm for the memory of this noble 

In view of the §:reat interest which this 
fitting: and si§fnificant movement has awakened in 
the life, character and services of the heroic soldier 
and patriot, the Werner School Book Company has 
just issued, edited by Dr. James Baldwin, 

-LAFAYETTE, 

THE FRIEND OF AMERICAN LIBERTY," 



By Mrs. ALMA HOLMAN BURTON, 

The author of " Four American Patriots," 
** The Story of Our Country,^ 

A TIMELY CONTRIBUTION OF GREAT VALUE 
TO PATRIOTIC EDUCATIONAL LITERATURE. 



Etc. 



ttlerner School Book 



CHICAGO: 378-388 Wabash Ave. 
NEW YORK: 78 Fifth Ave. 
.Company,,. BOSTON: 73 Tremont St. 

Educational Publishers. 




POCb=n)aking Qooks 



ti ti 



The term, '* Epoch-Making/' is often used inaccor ately, 
When properly applied to school-books, it means such 
works as introduce new conceptions with reference to a 
given branch of knowledge, or illustrate new and improved methods 
in the treatment cf that branch. Such works, by showing a better way 
than that which was formerly pursued, bring about a revolution in 
the making of schooI=books, as well as reform in the meth= 
ods of teaching. 



4®" Here are some 



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DeGanno's Language Lessons, Book I $ 30 

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The Werner Grammar School Geography (Tarbell) 1 40 

The Werner Arithmetic, Book L (Hall) 40 

The Werner Arithmetic, Book II. (Hall) 50 

Giffin's Grammar School Algebra 50 

Burton's Story of Our Country 60 

The Story of George Washington (Baldwin) lO 

The Story of Beniamin Franklin (Baldwin) lO 

The Story of Daniel Webster (Baldwin) lO 

The Story of Abraham Lincoln (Baldwin) lO 

Baldwin's Four Great Americans (W. F. W. & L.) 5Q 

Baldwin's Primary Lessons in Physiology 35 

Baldwin's Essential Lessons in Physiology 50 

Hinsdale's Studies In Education 1 CO 

Hinsdale's American Government 1 35 

Hinsdale's Training for Citizenship lO 

Hinsdale's History and Civil Government of Ohio 1 CO 

The Werner Primer (Taylor) SO 

Old Time Stories Retold (Smythe) 30 

First Year Nature Reader (Beebe & Kingsley) 35 

Legends of the Red Children (Pratt) SO 

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